Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing which handles data on a stereoscopic object.
Description of the Related Art
In order for a printer to print an image, input signal values such as red (R), green (G), blue (B), cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) are converted into color material signal values relating to the amounts of color materials mounted in the printer to be applied to a print medium. It is known to form an image on the print medium with the color materials corresponding to the color material signal values.
In this case, the input signal values are planar RGB data which is obtained by using a digital camera or the like and which indicates a moment in the natural world, CMYK data used for, e.g., a POP advertisement which a designer designs on a display, or the like.
Recently, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-208348, surface concavo-convex which can be recognized by touching it with a hand can be formed by thickly applying a UV curable ink which can be cured by ultraviolet rays to form a projection having a thickness in the range of about 1 to a little less than 2 mm on a planar print medium.
Further, a three-dimensional printer is also widely known which receives input of information on a three-dimensional shape represented by triangle sets such as STL and reproduces the three-dimensional shape. STL is an abbreviation for “Standard Triangulated Language” or “Stereolithography.” This three-dimensional printer forms a stereoscopic object by using data obtained by slicing an input three-dimensional shape in a lamination direction to laminate material by various known methods such as an optical molding method, a fused spinning deposition method, a powder sintering method, an inkjet method, and an inkjet binder method.
Various methods such as a light-section method, a focus movement method, and a stereo matching method are known as such methods for measuring the three-dimensional shape of an object, and there are devices using such methods.
The texture of a stereoscopic object varies depending on its color, shape, and gloss. There is no information format or mechanism for collectively controlling data which indicates the color, the shape, and the gloss.
For example, a common image format indicating colors is written with RGB or CMYK. Control of a shape relating to thick coating is not stored in the image format. Further, control of a gloss is not stored in the common image format, either.
An information format is desired which controls a color, a shape, and a gloss together when storing or distributing data which indicates the texture of a stereoscopic object.